For the Love of the Bard - (A Bard's Rest Romance) by Jessica Martin (Paperback)

About the Book

"To go for it or not to go for it? That is the question when two former high school flames return to their Shakespeare-obsessed hometown for a summer of theater and unexpected romance in this laugh-out-loud rom-com. Literary agent and writer Miranda Barnes rolls into her hometown of Bard's Rest with one goal in mind: to spend the summer finally finishing her YA novel, the next installment in her bestselling fantasy series. Yet Miranda's mother, deep in the planning stages for the centennial of the town's beloved annual Shakespeare festival, has other ideas. Before you can say "all's fair in love and war," Miranda is cornered into directing Twelfth Night-while simultaneously scrambling to finish her book, navigating a family health scare, and doing her best to avoid the guy who broke her heart on prom night. When it comes to Adam, the veterinarian with a talent for set design and an infuriating knack for winning over Miranda's dog, the lady doth protest too much. As any Shakespeare lover knows, the course of true love never did run smooth, and soon Miranda realizes she'll have to decide whether to trust Adam with her heart again"--

Book Synopsis

"Perfect to read on the beach." -The Boston Globe

To go for it or not to go for it? That is the question when two former high school flames return to their Shakespeare-obsessed hometown for a summer of theater and unexpected romance, in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author Jessica Martin.

Literary agent and writer Miranda Barnes rolls into her hometown of Bard's Rest with one goal in mind: to spend the summer finally finishing her YA novel, the next installment in her bestselling fantasy series. Yet Miranda's mother, deep in the planning stages for the centennial of the town's beloved annual Shakespeare festival, has other ideas.

Before you can say "all's fair in love and war," Miranda is cornered into directing Twelfth Night--while simultaneously scrambling to finish her book, navigating a family health scare, and doing her best to avoid the guy who broke her heart on prom night.

When it comes to Adam, the veterinarian with a talent for set design and an infuriating knack for winning over Miranda's dog, the lady doth protest too much. As any Shakespeare lovers knows, the course of true love never did run smooth, and soon Miranda realizes she'll have to decide whether to trust Adam with her heart again.

Review Quotes

"This charming debut casts a second-chance romance against a Shakespeare-obsessed town with sparkling results."
--Entertainment Weekly

"If you wished your romcoms had more Shakespeare puns, have I got the book for you! For the Love of the Bard is a delightful ode to complicated family relationships, growing up in the theatre, and opening your heart to a second chance with your first love. The quirky small-town setting is charming, and I wish I could move to Bard's Rest immediately!"
--Jen DeLuca, author of Well Played

"Reading For the Love of the Bard is like entering a fantasy written specifically for bookworms.... This is a delight, full of florid language, slow-building tension, groan-inducing puns, loads of food descriptions, and a fun and fleshed-out supporting cast."
--USA Today

"Jessica Martin delivers a sizzling second chance romance full of witty banter, quirky characters, and a sensational Shakespeare infused setting in For the Love of the Bard. For anyone who never got over their high school crush or who adores Shakespeare, this is an absolute must read!"
--Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of Paris Is Always a Good Idea

"Jessica Martin's rollicking and bighearted debut is a love letter to all things Shakespeare, filled with whip smart banter that would make the Bard himself jealous, a supporting cast I'd love to share an ale with, and best of all, a second chance romance that's the stuff of sonnets. Martin is an author to watch!"
--Victoria Schade, USA Today bestselling author of Dog Friendly

"Sweet and Shakespearean, For the Love of the Bard sweeps small-town charm and second-chance swoon up into a delightful rom-com fit for the stage."
--Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of The Roughest Draft

"With its charming setting and endearing cast of characters, For The Love of the Bard is the kind of book you want to live inside. Brimming with Shakespeare references to delight the brain and a slow burn, banter-filled romance to melt the heart, this romcom captivates. The course of true love might not run smooth for Miranda and Adam, but you'll have a fabulous, laugh-out-loud experience following along with their journey!"
--India Holton, author of The League of Gentlewomen Witches

"Shakespeare wrote that the course of true love never did run smooth, and in Jessica Martin's For the Love of the Bard, that's true in the most delightful way. I laughed and cheered as our heroine Miranda overcame obstacle after obstacle that stood in the way of her heart, finding her way to happiness not only with the swoon-worthy Adam, but with her career and family as well. This charming romance with its cast of quirky, lovable characters will enchant you and make you want to adopt a Puck of your very own. If the question is to read or not to read, the answer is: definitely read."
--Amanda Elliot, author of Sadie on a Plate

"Numerous dramas--Shakespearean, familial, publishing related, and more--intersect in Martin's... thoroughly enjoyable rom-com debut."
--Publishers Weekly

"For the Love of the Bard is a refreshing, smart, funny romance with a lot of heart!"
--Novels Alive

About the Author

Jessica Martin is a lawyer by trade, a writer by choice, and a complete smartass by all accounts. Based in the suburban wilds of Boston, Jess shares her life with a finance geek, a small sass-based human and a pair of dogs named after Bond characters.